Aircraft galley

ABSTRACT

An aircraft galley is disclosed having a stand-alone beverage station and a stand-alone food preparation station. Each station is equipped with extendable work decks and integrated equipment for plug and play exchange. The beverage station is equipped with brewing stations and a top loading refuse compartment, and the food preparation station is configured with multiple ovens and refrigeration units. The galley further includes a side refrigeration unit which can be used as a self-service beverage area for passengers, and both stations may further be configured with LED displays for communicating with passengers.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application based on U.S. Ser. No. 13/746,250,filed on Jan. 21, 2013, which claims priority from U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/589,668, filed Jan. 23, 2012, incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Present day commercial aircraft are traditionally configured with a foodand beverage preparation area, commonly referred to as a galley, forservice of the passengers and crew. The galley incorporates varioustypes of equipment for the storage, preparation, and disposal of foodand drink, such as refrigeration units, heaters, ovens, beverage brewingmachines, and the like. In addition to the devices described above,galley equipment also may include devices such as beverage dispensers,trash compacters, beverage carts, and the like. However, existinggalleys arrange these features as more like items in a box, rather thanintegrating the components into a single system. As with all aircraftequipment, today's aircraft galleys strive to be examples of efficiencyand conservation of weight and space. Every component of the aircraftgalley must abide by these principles, and be both compact and efficientbut retain functionality and convenience. All of the equipment must alsobe arranged in a manner which is both ergonomic and efficient for theallotted space.

Organization is critical to a galley's function and success. A galleymust have ample storage space and be arranged in manner that promotesefficiency in the tasks at hand. The galley must also be flexible toadapt to unique and constantly changing meal services and customerrequests. Efficient equipment that allows quick preparation and clean upare essential to a properly functioning galley. Ergonomics can also playan important role in the design of a galley. Appliances and overheadstorage areas can be hard to access for shorter flight attendants.Awkward repetitive movements may result in fatigue and injury, sogalleys must be designed to account for these repetitive movements so asto alleviate the stress, where possible. Current galleys lack the workspace necessary to prepare a meal and allow for clean-up withoutcreating problematic positions for the attendant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a modular aircraft galley which is designed topromote efficiency, safety, space conservation and weight reduction. Thegalley of the present inventions includes two stand-alone stations, abeverage station and a food preparation station. Each station includesintegrated appliances and space-saving features that promote efficiencyand safety. The beverage station comprises multiple beverage brewingapparatus, beverage cart storage compartments, self-serve coolers forpassengers, and at least one slide-out work deck to increase counterspace when needed. The food preparation station includes multiple ovensand refrigeration units, beverage cart storage compartments, at leastone slide out work deck, self-serve coolers and touch screen controls.The modular galley of the present invention provides all of therequisite equipment to effectively run a commercial aircraft beverageand food service operation in a compact, space conserving architecture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the galley.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the beveragestation;

FIG. 3 is an elevated perspective view of the beverage brewing areas;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the sink and faucet area;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of the top loading trash chute;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the beverage area and cabinet;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a first embodiment of the food preparationstation;

FIG. 8 is an elevated perspective view of the oven and refrigerationunits;

FIG. 9 is an elevated front view of the ovens;

FIG. 10 is an elevated front view of the refrigeration units;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged front view of the side refrigeration panel;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the refrigeration, cabinets, andoverhead lighting;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the pull-out shelves;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the self-locking cabinets; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the overhead cabinets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exterior view of the modular integrated galley ofthe present invention, comprising a stand-alone beverage station 100 anda stand-alone food preparation station 200. The beverage station 100provides coffee, espresso, and a variety of beverages requested andwhich can be served to passengers, while the food preparation station200 includes ovens, refrigerators, and equipment necessary for thestorage, preparation, and clean-up of meal service. On the exterior ofeach station 100, 200 is a display screen 110,210, such as for examplean LED screen, that can be used to provide instructions to passengers,display advertisements that can generate revenue for the airlines, orprovide information on the amenities provided by the galley. Theexterior of each station is also preferably equipped with a brandingplaceholder 215 which can be used to promote the airline or provideadvertising space that can be leased by the airline or otheradvertisers. The branding placeholder 215 is large and in full view ofthe passengers for maximum exposure and visibility.

FIG. 2 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the stand-alonebeverage station 100 of the galley of the present invention, comprisinga light weight structure 13 adapted to serve as a beverage distributioncenter in a commercial aircraft. The modular beverage center 100features several integrated equipment for servicing passengers,including a side refrigeration unit for self-serving of soft drinks topassengers, two half ovens 12, two coffee makers 14, two espresso makers16, and two hot water dispensers 18. The structure 13 includes sixbeverage cart storage compartments 20 that house beverage carts used tofacilitate service to passengers, a sink 30 and faucet 29, a top loadingtrash chute, task lighting, and a touch screen user interface. All ofthe elements are arranged in a cost and space efficient manner thatallows functionality without sacrificing performance. Each of thecomponents will now be discussed in more detail below.

FIG. 3 illustrates first and second beverage centers 22 located on theleft and right sides of the beverage station 100. Each beverage center22 is located close to the adjacent isle of the aircraft to the maximizeworkflow. The beverage centers 22 are equipped with overhead lighting 40to provide flight attendants with a visually accessible work area. A setof touch controls 31 above the cabinets 24 control the operation of theoverhead lighting 40. The cabinets 24 above the beverage centers 22 aresized to hold numerous coffee and tea cups 42 for passengers and providean easily accessible storage location. The cabinets 24 may be free ofhandles that interfere with the work space areas, and be at a level thatis easily reached by flight attendants. The counters 26 in front of thebeverage centers 22 include drip trays 27, are adequate to support afull meal tray, allowing the flight attendants the ability to put a traydown while preparing a beverage. In a preferred embodiment, touchcontrols 31 along the upper surface of the galley above the cabinet 24include controls for each appliance in the beverage station 100.Dedicated touch screens 31 independently operate each appliance, anduser interface screens 33 are customizable and upgradeable. Methods toprovide a tactile feedback to the flight attendants in response to theactuation of the controls may include haptics or other displayresponses.

FIG. 4 illustrates the position of the ovens 28 and the sink 30 andfaucet 29 in a presently preferred embodiment. The ovens 28 aremulti-tiered 39 to allow preparation of a plurality of meals in a singlecooking cycle. The touch screen controls 32 and interface screens 33above the oven 28 provide easy access and efficiency in operating theovens 28. The use of half ovens in a preferred embodiment offer theability to cook different meals at different temperatures. They alsocater to the special request of a passenger who wants his or her foodprepared differently from other passengers. The ovens 28 are alsoconfigured so that full size food trays can fit in multipleconfigurations to suit the needs of the particular situation. A sink 30is usefully located between the two ovens 28, and includes a faucet 29for rinsing dishes and other food preparation. As with the otherfeatures of the beverage station 100 of the present invention, overheadtouch controls 32 for the oven 28 and sink 30 are conveniently locatedabove the particular appliance. Adjacent the sink 30 as show in FIG. 5is a top loading trash chute 34 with a pivoting door 41 that allows easyand convenient disposal of refuse generated by the food and beveragepreparation. The top loading aspect of the trash chute 34 is moreconvenient than side loaded trash cans and reduces the time needed toclear and dispose of trash and waste.

FIG. 6 illustrates one beverage center 22 and storage area 24 of thegalley of the present invention, and also provides another view of theoverhead lighting 40. The beverage center 22 includes a water boiler 18with spigot 51 for dispensing hot water for tea and instant coffee, anespresso maker 16, and a coffee maker 14 for preparation of various teasand beverages. These appliances are positioned at work-deck height,improving ergonomics while reducing the opportunity for injury orspillage during turbulence. They are also modular, in that they can bequickly interchanged and replaced without the need to redesign thebeverage station 100. The storage cabinets 24 located immediately abovethe beverage brewing apparatus have ample space for the coffee cups andmugs 42 without the need for stacking, which is important becauseturbulence can cause items to shift and possible fall out of thecabinets when opened. The doors 46 to the storage cabinets arepreferably transparent to allow the flight attendants to be forewarnedof any unsettled items in the cabinet 24 and allow quick and easyobservation of the status of the cups 42 or stored items. In a preferredembodiment, the beverage units are of the plug and play design thatallows airlines to customize the number and type of the beverage units.

FIG. 7 illustrates a food preparation station 200 which operates inconjunction with the beverage station 100 to achieve a full-servicegalley. The food preparation station 200 includes a side refrigerationunit that serves as a passenger self-service cooler, a doublerefrigerator 50, a double oven 60, a half oven 65, six beverage cartstorage compartments 20, and an extendable work deck. Each of thesecomponents are discussed in more detail below.

The food preparation station 200 may include a double refrigeration unit50 and a double oven unit as show in FIG. 8. The double refrigerationunit 50 (see FIG. 9) has one side 52 for chilled beverages and one side54 for food storage. The double refrigeration section allows forchilling of drinks and food with a side access for self service, whilethe side fridge section also permits chilled food and drink which can beloaded from the front and self-served from the isle. In front of therefrigeration unit is an extendable work deck 71 that allows drinks tobe poured on the deck and then the deck can be reinserted back into itscavity, out of the way of the galley pathway. The touch controls 61 arelocated immediately above the refrigeration unit for easy accessibility.The augmented capacity of the double refrigeration unit 50 results inboth space and weight reduction over multiple single refrigerationunits. Each half of the double refrigeration unit 50 includes doors 59that easily swing outward and touch controls 61 for operation of therespective halves. The food storage side 54 can alternatively be used asa passenger self-service beverage location as shown in FIG. 10 on theside of the food preparation station 200. A door 81 that accesses therefrigerator 50 on the adjacent half 54 can slide open in the directionof arrow 83 using handle 85 to access cans 87 of cooled beverages. Inthis manner, passengers can walk up to the galley and selected theirfavorite beverages without the need for assistance from the attendantand without the need to enter the galley itself. It should be noted thatthe self-service cooler as shown in FIG. 10 can be located on each endof both the beverage station 100 and the food preparation station 200,or only on selected ends. There is also ample space adjacent the slidingdoor for menu posting or advertising.

Food preparation station 200 also includes a double oven unit 60 andhalf oven unit 65, shown in FIG. 11. This configuration saves space andweight over multiple single oven units. Each appliance has the overheadtouch controls 32 with touch screens that operate each applianceindependently. The user interface screens are both customizable andupgradeable, and haptics may be used to provide tactile feedback tousers. As further shown in FIG. 11, the work area adjacent the ovens canalso be extended by pull out decks 80 to allow even greater efficiencyand usable work area. The pull out decks 80 retract into the stationwhen not in use to preserve space and allow for ease of passage throughthe galley area. The pull out decks 80 may be supported by grooves orrails that support the decks 80 while permitting extension with limitedforce. They may also include a detent or stop (not shown) to prevent thepull out decks 80 from accidentally extending during flight.

FIG. 12 illustrates a venting and lighting configuration above thecabinets and ovens. Task lighting 90 is integrated into the ventstructure 92, and projects down onto the work deck 26 and expandablework deck 99. By incorporating the lighting 90 and venting 92 into theexisting structure, there is no projecting or protruding lightingstructure that could interfere with the work flow. FIG. 13 furtherillustrates the extendible work deck 99, which in a preferred embodimentcan be pulled out to extend six inches beyond the nominal position. Theforward face 97 includes a release latch 95 that allows the work deck tobe extended, and once pushed in the latch 95 closes and locks to preventinadvertent extension of the work deck 99. The extendible work deck 99can essentially double the usable area of the work space as needed, andthen can be easily and quickly returned to the retracted configuration.

FIG. 14 illustrates a latch mechanism 96 for the release of the housingdoor 94. In a preferred embodiment, the cabinets and compartments usedouble retention paddle latches 96 with large “C” channel recesses 98for easy access. In a preferred embodiment, the latches 96 arepositioned in close proximity to allow for single handed operation. Thelocking mechanism for the housing door 94 is located in the handle 93,and allow the latches 96 to automatically engage when the door 94 isclosed. This eliminates the need for manual intervention on behalf ofthe attendant to secure the door. In the overhead compartments, as shownin FIG. 15, assist handles 103 are integrated into the cupboard door 107and large double retention paddle latches 109 are position below thestandard unit doors for easy accessibility. The standard unit doors 107are configured to open slightly upon unlatching so as to allow operationwith a single hand. The close proximity of these latches 109 allows forsingle hand operation as well.

The various systems that are conveniently and economically incorporatedinto the galley of the present invention include, but are not limitedto, air or liquid chilling, plumbing, air ducting, and electricalcontrol (smart bar). The method of construction can include moldedcarbon fiber with a ducting system through the structure. There is alsothe opportunity for integration of inserts into the structure and doorlatches (trolley and standard unit doors). Doors include door bumpstripe integration, and the galley has storage for portable steps andbeverage carts. Oven options include single ovens, double ovens, tripleovens, and half ovens. Waste disposal includes a top loading, counteraccessible trash receptacles and top loading trash compacters.Refrigeration units include two door access with a double wide fridgeand multiple zone chilling. The beverage areas are preferably formedwith a plug and play connection systems. The faucet has a proximitysensor that uses movement in front of the center sensor to turn on andoff the faucet for hands-free operation. The electrical control systemincludes a touch screen user interface and utilizes plug and playreplacement. A single set of firmware can be included for all insertoperations and a single PCB, with a detached user interface from theinsert main body. The user interface can be customizable andupgradeable/updateable with diagnostic capability.

The compact configuration of the galley consumes less space than aconventional aircraft galley, and can free up valuable space foradditional passenger seats. These and other features of the inventioncan be seen in the accompanying drawings and illustrations, which areintended to be exemplary but not limiting as to the scope of theinvention.

We claim:
 1. An aircraft galley having two stand-alone structuresincluding a beverage station and a food preparation station; eachstand-alone structures having opposed front faces, first and secondexterior side panels, and a rear wall, the beverage station including aplurality of beverage cart storage compartments and at least onebeverage brewing equipment integrated into the beverage station, and thefood preparation station including a plurality of beverage cart storagecompartments and at least one oven, the galley further comprising: asink and faucet; at least one side refrigeration unit having shelves forstoring beverages and a sliding door, said at least one siderefrigeration unit accessible through the first exterior side panel toallow beverages to be dispensed from a said first exterior side panel ofthe stand-alone structures; at least one touchscreen interface foroperation of galley equipment.
 2. The aircraft galley of claim 1,wherein the beverage station includes at least one coffee brewingapparatus, one espresso machine, and one hot water providing apparatus.3. The aircraft galley of claim 2, further comprising a cup storagecupboard above the coffee brewing apparatus wherein said cup storagecupboard has a transparent window.
 4. The aircraft galley of claim 1,further comprising a branding placeholder on an exterior side panel ofat least one of the stand-alone structures.
 5. The aircraft galley ofclaim 1 wherein the beverage station and the food preparation stationinclude extendable work decks.
 6. The aircraft galley of claim 1 whereinthe food preparation station includes a refrigeration unit including afirst half for chilling food and a second half for chilling beverages.7. The aircraft galley of claim 6, wherein the refrigeration unitfurther includes a side refrigeration unit having a door opening on aside of the stand-alone structure for dispensing beverages topassengers.
 8. The aircraft galley of claim 1 wherein the foodpreparation station includes a first oven and a second oven, where acapacity of the second oven is approximately a capacity of the firstoven.
 9. The aircraft galley of claim 1 wherein the beverage cartstorage compartments have latches that lock the compartment and can beopened with one hand.